Tobacco stemming machine



Jan. 1, 1935. W, A. BRANDT 1,986,100

- TOBACCO ST EM MING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l HIIIHIIIIIIHIHIIIIIHIIHI HIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIHII Jan. 1, 1935. w. A. BRANDT 1,986,100

TOBACCO- sTEMMrN MACHINE Filed July 19] 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 I n M 9 :12 9 I I Patented Jan. 1, 1935 UNITEDI'JISTATVE TOBACCO STEMM ING MACI EIINE, William A. Brandt, Salem, VaL, assignor to'Comas Cigarette Machine Company, Salem, Va., a corporation of Virginia;

t The invention.isshownapplied to a tobacco This invention relates to. an improvement in tobacco stemmingimachines, and more particularly tocleaning rolls for such. machines.

In the forms of cleaning rolls which have here- 5' tofore been proposedandused, it has been found that the stems and lamina of the tobacco leaves wrap around the rolls and work into the teeth and wires on the card clothingcovering the rolls, so that the rolls fail to clean the stripping brushes effectively and the leaves have a tendency to follow back through the machine.

The object of my present invention is to provide cleaning rolls which will successfully clean the lamina and stemsfrom the stripping brushes and successively engage" each stripping brush gradually from end to end withoutstriking it with a solid blow. i

The rolls which have been found successful and practical for the accomplishment of this object have the teeth or wires arranged in a spiral extending from one end to the other with a substantial blank portion on the surface ofthe roll. The spiral may! have a slight or a steep pitch, but one has been found very-successfulwhich has only a slight pitch and extends about the roll less than a complete convolution throughout its length, there being two rows of teeth or wires arrangedin-spiral formation on diametricallyopposite sides of the preferred form of roll, although the number of rowsv of teeth is not materiaL'as other successful forms have had different num- (hers of rows.

The teeth may be supported in various manners so as to be arranged in spiral shapes, but in my preferred form, they are mounted in a strip of material designed to be held ina spiral groove in the periphery of theroll which groove has undercut side edges to receive the'edges of the strip and prevent it from being displaced'from the groove. This provides a simple and effective manner of supporting the teeth in spiral form at the periphery of the roll.

, In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the stripping portion of a tobacco stemming machine, showing the cleaning rolls applied thereto;

' Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one form of cleaning roll; g

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal sectional view through an end portion of the cleaning roll;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view therethrough; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective form of roll.

view of a slightly different stemmingmachine of the type set forth in .the application of. Thomas E. Pasley,' Serial No. 547,-

979, filed June 30,"1931,now Patent No..1,930,406,

grante'dOctober 10, 1933.,a.portion of which is 2':

represented in Fig. '1,wherein the frame of the machine is designated generally by the numeral 1 and carries'superimposed endless chains 2, 'upon which are mounted stripping brushes 3 having teeth arrangedto be brought together in cooperative. relation to engage opposite sides of tobacco leaves which are fed between the endless chains by meansof superimposed endless conveyors .4.

' Arranged adjacent'each'ofthe endless chains'2 carrying the "stripping brushes 3 are cleaning rolls designated generally by thenumeral 5 journaled in suitable bearings on the frame and adapted-to be driven from the source of power whichzdrives the chains zandconveyors 4, asset forthin the Pasley application,abovereferred to.

The peripheries of the cleaning rolls 5 carry teeth which are arranged in position to engage the teeth of the .stripping-biushesB to remove from the brushes portions of the stems or, lamina which may stickv thereto.'.; a My present-invention .embodi of cleaningmolls'which iI-ha've found to be very effective ins-cleaning thebits of :tobacco,v leaves from the stripping-brushes; 1 Each cleaning brush is provided withaibodyportion 6, from the opposite ends'of which-.projecttrunnions 7 received in journals on the frame for rotatably supportingthe cleaning roll.

The body portion 6, is provided with grooves 8 formed in the periphery thereof, and extending generally in spiral shape lengthwise of the roll. Each of these grooves is undercut at its opposite edges to provideshoulder's 9, wherein a strip of card cloth 10 or other suitable material of a.width approximately corresponding with the width of the groove 8 extends lengthwise therein, so as to be disposed in spiral form in the periphery of the roll, as shown in Fig. 2. Each of the strips 10 carries car teeth 11, arranged in rows lengthwise thereof, although the teeth may be staggered or arranged as found desirable. ,Set screws 12, are threaded into the body portion 6, in the grooves 8, at. the ends thereof, so as to hold the strips 10 against lengthwise displacement, but either or both of these screws may be removed whenever it is desired to replace the card clothing strips.

In the form shown in- Figs. 1 to 5, there are two rows of card clothing teeth arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the roll and each row is shown as of the width of four teeth. Each row 25 es' improved forms extends about the roll less than a complete convolution throughout the length of the roll, so as to provide a very gradual spiral with a considerable space between succeeding spirals. The spiral shape of rows serve to cause the teeth to engage the stripping brushes gradually and successively to prevent the teeth from striking the brush simultaneously; throughout its length. The space between the rows of teeth prevents portions of the leaves from clogging in the teeth and becoming wound onto the surface of the roll. It he noted that the teeth are bent slightly at the portions which join the portions of the strip ofcard clothing, which bent portions allows the teeth to be self-cleaning. V w i t In the modified form shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, a strip of card clothingor other similar material 13 is wound spirally ahout the body pertion 6, and which strip of material hasits oppo site ends fixed to the body portion by screws 14,

extending into the :body portion.

1 :strip 13 carries fan the periphery 'of the roll, teeth 15 zattaohediatlsuch :spaced apart 1por6- .tions thereof that whenrthestrip 13 118 Wound'in the form of a helicaltspiral, the teeth provide'one or more rows extending in a generally spiral-direction :aronnd the molltand.lengthwise rthereoi, but the rows of teeth :donotrextend lengthwise of the card clothing strip: 1 v

this-form, 'the teeth are alsotarranged lin spiral :sh'ape withssiimcienttspace between the succeding .TOWS orx-iconvoluti'ohsthat the lamina tion and bits of lleave'sl or :stems are effiectively cleaned from the teeth :ofithe stripping brushes :bnt without clogging the cleaning rolls; Irhave ffousndrthrough *the use=ofthese cleaning rolls that (they refiectivel y accomplish tithis'desired -purpose.

' applicationisawcorrtinuationzin of my application, Serial No. 569;811, :filed iOctob'er 19.,

Itclaimz 1. i MIA-cleaning lrol'lv for ia' tobacco stemming machine comprising a bodyportion, :aastrip pf imate forming :one or more rsp'irafl wows extending about rial wound spirally thereon,zandone "or morelrows of teeth extending transversely-of ieach' convolution of the spn'alIstripwvith fblank' spaces on opposite rsidesrof the rowsio'f teeth and in such position 'thatithe transverse rows'z'ofi succeed ing ECOIIVOIH- tions are :approximatelyin longitudinal ."alignment the'suirfacerof the-r011; v,

2. In a tobacco stemming machinehthe combination "with leaf 'rstripphig means having" "card clothing teeth arranged for stripping-the lamina from \the stems, mi a cleansing for Fearld :stripping means having oneiormore (rows of card clothing teetharranged-onthe'periphenythereof,

approximately cspiral :s'hape, with each ex tending through less than ra 'complete'iconvolution throughout rtzhe ilength (of the roll.

alength of the roll.

4. In a tobacco stemming machine wherein leaf stripping means having card clothing teeth is arrangedfor stripping the lamina from the stems, the combination-M a cleaning roll having one or more jrOWS OfCard O1@thing teeth arranged on the periphery thereof approximately in spiral shape with 'each'ro'w extending through less than a complete convolution throughout the length of the roll.

5 "Inra tobacco:stemmingmchine wherein leaf stripping means having card clothing teeth is arranged for stripping lthellamina from the ste'ms, the combination with :sa'id stripping teeth, of a cleaning-roll having a longitudinal groove in the periphery thereof arranged approximately in :a .spira'lrshape, and a strip :of material "secured said groove and' carrying calrdiclothing teeth means, and means roar holding the strip of material in saidgroove. k

'7. In. atobacco-stemming' ,machine wherein lea-f stripping means having ioard clothing teeth is arranged-for stripping the ilalminainom the stems, 'thexcoinbination with said stripping iteoth of a cleaning roll ha ving a IpIura-iity \of longitudinal z-grooves formed in the periphery-thereof and approximately in spiral shape, each of :said grooves having undercut opposite "edges, a strip of material extending longitudinally in each groove :and having itsroppjosi'te-edges underlying the undercut edges thereof, preventing radial displacement-of the strip of material, and means removably .securedto the roll for normally preventing longitudinal removal of the strip from the groove, the 'strip rof, :malterial. carrying :a row ofteeth 'on the outer. side thereof-arranged in position foroleaning the lamina from the card clothing teeth of the stripping means. 

